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Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Top Indian telcos Jio, Airtel use GIS for 5G FWA, FTTH expansion: Esri's Agendra Kumar
NEW DELHI: India's top telecom carriers have adopted a geographical information system (GIS)-driven strategy to pick locations for seamlessly densifying their fifth-generation ( 5G )-led networks and expand fixed wireless access (FWA) services, and to enhance user experience, according to a senior executive of Esri India . 'GIS is very important and the two largest operators, namely Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel , use our technology. Once they sign up a customer, they geocode their address, to pinpoint the exact location. GIS is not only being used for planning cellular services, but also for AirFiber and fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) services,' Agendra Kumar, MD, Esri India, told ETTelecom . 'GIS will be a critical tool for telecom companies, and will remain like this. In the meantime, we are evolving our solutions with artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and large language models (LLMs),' Kumar said. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Jio worked with the Noida-headquartered company for the nationwide deployment of the JioAirFiber service using the Esri ArcGIS solution which enabled real-time visualisation and decision-making across Jio's teams in near real-time. Today, Jio serves more than 200 million 5G subscribers, and has become the largest FWA provider globally with over 7.4 million users. It has a total of 20 million home connections. Previously, Esri had facilitated Jio to deploy 1 lakh 4G towers in a record time in 2016 using a GIS-driven workflow. Likewise, Esri provided its ArcGIS Server-based platform to Airtel, enabling the Sunil Mittal-led telco to conduct hotspot analysis and network route planning on the web; access various web services in a thin client with Esri content; access GIS-based content and user management system; integrate with open source API with the Esri geospatial framework; and perform the raster analysis on telecom coverage files. 'Jio has effectively used GIS, even to resolve call drop problems, by planning network deployments, including 5G. They use GIS to manage the network. It's a complete GIS-based network management service for Jio,' Kumar said. Biswaketan Kundu, vice president & head of GIS at Jio Platforms, in a statement, earlier said that quick planning and fast deployment helped Jio disrupt the broadband internet market by positioning AirFiber as a premium and affordable product with same-day installation time. 'Our continuous investment in GIS data, people, and Esri's technology helped us build these systems in-house at record speed,' he had said. Esri, via its UK arm, works with the Vodafone Group Plc – the British co-parent company of India's third-largest telco – Vodafone Idea (Vi). Esri, however, does not have any business with Vi. Esri would also consider supplying its solution to state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited ( BSNL ), when it starts the roll-out of its commercial 5G network. 'We would be happy to support them. We earlier worked on a rural network project of BSNL. So they are familiar with our technology,' Kumar said. A Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)-led consortium, that comprises homegrown Tejas Networks and the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), is currently deploying 1 lakh sites for BSNL's commercial 4G foray. Its network will be upgradable to 5G via a software firmware deployment. Kumar said the GIS industry has been growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5%, but the National Geospatial Policy, geospatial data guidelines, use of remote sensing data and the drone policy have fueled the growth to 16.5% in recent years. He added that Esri's roadmap for the next two years includes ramping up the use of AI & ML, and creating more datasets, while technologies such as digital twins and drone-based mapping will mature, which will in turn, generate more demand for GIS. 'Sectors such as infrastructure development, ports, and others will continue to give more business. There will be more investments in utilities, disaster management, defense and homeland security.' Last month, Esri opened a 'GIS & AI Competency Center' at a new facility in Noida, and said it would invest more than ₹150 crores over the next five years.
Entrepreneur
02-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Esri India Opens GIS and AI Competency Centre in Noida with INR 150 Cr Investment Plan
The company will significantly expand its team, bringing in AI specialists, data scientists, GIS experts, and domain professionals to develop intelligent geospatial solutions that address the increasingly complex needs of GIS users. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Esri India Technologies Pvt Ltd has announced the launch of a cutting-edge Geographic Information System (GIS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Competency Centre in Noida. The company plans to invest over INR 150 crore in this facility over the next five years, aiming to boost the development of advanced GeoAI technologies. The newly inaugurated centre is a key part of Esri India's long-term strategy to accelerate innovation by merging geospatial intelligence with AI. The company will significantly expand its team, bringing in AI specialists, data scientists, GIS experts, and domain professionals to develop intelligent geospatial solutions that address the increasingly complex needs of GIS users. "The convergence of AI and geospatial intelligence is driving a new wave of innovation in GIS applications," said Agendra Kumar, Managing Director of Esri India. "This investment will empower our teams to integrate AI into spatial analysis, enabling users to derive deeper insights, automate tasks, and make faster decisions." The Noida facility will serve as a hub for the development of AI-powered GIS solutions that can transform how data is analyzed and interpreted across industries. Esri India, a leading provider of GIS software and mapping solutions, is also deepening collaborations with academic and research institutions to nurture AI talent and promote GeoAI innovation locally. This initiative is expected to position India at the forefront of next-generation geospatial technology development.
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Business Standard
25-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Five minute dash: Quick commerce cos tap spatial tech to cut delivery times
Spatial technology, which captures, stores, visualises and analyses data tied to specific locations on earth, is no longer limited to urban planning, transportation, agriculture or defence. It has now caught the fancy of burgeoning quick commerce (qcom) firms — firms that compete to deliver goods ordered online within minutes across cities and towns. 'Since the core promise of qcom is ultra-fast delivery, it is vital to have highly accurate, real-time insights on traffic conditions, road closures, route optimization, and weather disruptions to ensure timely fulfilment,' says Agendra Kumar, managing director of geographical information system (GIS) provider Esri India. He declined to name clients due to non-disclosure agreements. Esri brings in its GIS — a computer-based platform that manages geographic data of many kinds, such as maps, satellite imagery, global positioning system coordinates and attributable data (such as population density or building age). Kumar says the platform enables automation for dynamic, data-driven decision-making. Its software tools allow qcom firms to optimise logistics, reduce delivery times, and adapt swiftly to changing conditions, such as traffic congestion, weather disruptions or unexpected delays. 'This real-time spatial intelligence not only improves operational efficiency but also ensures a consistently high quality customer experience,' adds Kumar. For example, the platform delivers live analyses that help dark stores adjust product inventory based on common ordering patterns within a specific, defined area. It can also suggest alternative routes or adjust estimated delivery times if delays arise due to rain or traffic jams. The platform is working with qcom firms to reduce delivery times to as low as five minutes. Kumar says the platform and its analytics are sold as a subscription service, which can cost roughly ₹50 lakh per year for a city like Delhi, or over Rs 1 crore for firms offering quick commerce across India. The use of this technology supports the rapid rise of qcom. According to estimates, qcom now accounts for 20 per cent of the e-commerce market and has been growing by over 50 per cent per year. In larger cities, firms operate over 500 stores, with 25-50 delivery staff attached to each, making this a highly complex operation to manage. According to Kearney, qcom revenues are expected to treble between 2024 and 2027, reaching ₹1.5-1.7 trillion. By then, qcom will be available in every town with a population of 500,000 or more, with deep penetration in 100,000 households earning ₹6 lakh or more annually. Technology has also reshaped the workforce, making staff an integral part of the complex logistics and delivery platform. According to estimates, qcom employs roughly 62–64 people per ₹1 crore of gross merchandise value — comparable to general trade (63–66) and modern trade (63–66), and far higher than traditional e-commerce (25–29). The new North Star for speedy delivery · Gives quick commerce and food delivery firms an edge through precise, real-time insights · Enables route optimisation with data on traffic, closures, and weather delays
India Gazette
09-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Emphasis on education, technology vital for India to become USD 7-8 trillion economy by 2030
New Delhi [India] June 9 (ANI): India's aspiration to become a USD 7-8 trillion economy by 2030 requires emphasis on advancements in education and technology, say experts at the recently concluded Indian Global Innovation Connect (IGIC) 2025 in adoption, especially technologies like GIS (geographic information system), emerged as a pivotal driver, with discussions centred on AI integration, digital transformation, and advanced manufacturing. This technological push, however, is inextricably linked to the quality and relevance of education, the experts said while addressing policymakers, industry leaders and economists.'GIS and AI are coming together in powerful ways to support India's vision of becoming a $7-8 trillion economy. Whether it's bringing rural land into productive use through initiatives like SVAMITVA, enabling smarter infrastructure monitoring, or driving efficiency in agriculture and crop planning, these technologies are already creating real impact,' said Agendra Kumar, Managing Director, Esri GIS landscape in India has been undergoing significant transformation, with new-age technologies opening up tremendous possibilities across various sectors. Globally, the rapidly expanding GIS market is projected to reach a massive USD 24.61 billion by 2034, demonstrating a compounded annual growth rate of 8.71 per cent over the next decade, according to a report by Precedence Research. The speakers at the event underscored the urgent necessity for a strategic overhaul of India's existing economic frameworks and the rural development and industrial expansion was also considered as a vital means to acheive $7-8 trillion economy by 2030. Speaking on India's potential, Claude Smadja, Chairman of Smadja & Smadja Strategic Advisory and former MD of the World Economic Forum, said, 'India has the potential to become a 7-8 trillion-dollar economy, but this will require clear focus and timely execution. No country has achieved sustained growth without a strong industrial base, and India must increase its industry share while also investing more in R&D, particularly from the private sector.' Industrial expansion, particularly in sectors such as clean energy, defence technology, and advanced manufacturing, was also identified as pivotal for fostering economic resilience and scaling job creation. However, the recurring theme was that the skilled workforce required for these sectors will largely emanate from a responsive and forward-looking educational the speakers at the event underscored the urgent need for a strategic overhaul of India's existing economic frameworks, and the rural development and industrial expansion were also considered a vital means to achieve a USD 7-8 trillion economy by 2030. As India strives to become a developed nation by 2047, GIS is expected to play a major role in facilitating the country's ambitious plans for urbanisation and citizen well-being. (ANI)
